Drai’s ventures into cutting-edge dance territory with TroyBoi as its summer resident [Interview]

Las Vegas — since its early days, the desert city has defined itself as a veritable playground for America’s adult population. Its famed mile-long Strip is filled with more casinos, clubs, and hotels than one can count. Furthermore, the city’s laissez-faire energy is known to breed good memories in those looking for a temporary escape.

For all its glory, however, monotony and oversaturation remain constant threats that hang over the festive oasis. It becomes difficult to stand out amongst a vast array of similar competitors that are all within walking distance of one another.

This is where Drai’s comes in; owned by nightlife stalwart Victor Drai, the brand has become renowned for its forward-thinking concepts since its legacy began two decades ago with the Strip’s first-ever afterhours establishment. In 2014, the name evolved into a full-on institution with the foundation of its beach club and nightclub that hang over the corner of Flamingo Rd.

Drai’s mission has been to defy musical norms on the Strip.” The method is to simply not follow the status quo,” stated talent buyer Dave Fogg of their approach toward scouting out its artists. Their nightclub is renowned for the primarily live hip-hop and R&B artists that perform on its immersive stage. “Drai’s Nightclub is unarguably one of the top hip-hop venues in the country, showcasing live, 45+ minute concerts by today’s top artists,” continued Fogg. In creating such an experience, the brand has effectively led the charge in the changing Vegas landscape.

“When you’re looking at programming talent and curating that for the best possible customer experience, it’s easy to just look at the artists at the top of the charts and begin to throw large sums of money at them. We wanted to break out of that trope and look at the opportunities to pull from the incredibly deep pool of musical talent that’s out there to give our guests a truly unparalleled experience.” – Dave Fogg”

Its adjoining rooftop beach club — the first and only of its kind on the Strip — is equally progressive. It offers guests luxurious amenities across its spacious 30,000 square foot spread as the daytime festivities wear on, including luxury cabanas and bungalows, towel service, and full service bars and cafe. Most stunning, however, are the views that surround the outdoor venue of the Strip and surrounding desert.

The club’s setting is as spectacular as its artist billing, which, like its nightclub, chooses from a pool of the cutting-edge. One of their new summer additions, TroyBoi, proves a perfect fit it into this ethos. Hailing from the UK, the former Diplo collaborator is known for his gritty take on trap, as well as his collaborations with rising talent in the rap game. His sound skillfully walks the line between dance and hip-hop making him “a great fit for Drai’s Beachclub because of the high-energy show he’s going to deliver,” according to Fogg. In fact, he is more than confident of his of his booking decision: “Troy’s been on my radar for about four years from a DJ perspective. I’d been watching him grow as an artist with his own trademark sound since that time, then literally, meteoric.”

Fogg is not wrong; TroyBoi has exploded into a veritable icon lately, bolstered by the success of his debut album Left and Right, and singles like his long-awaited Ekali collaboration, “Truth.” He remains humble, however, voicing that he was “thrilled” when Drai’s approached him for a residency. “I’m really looking forward to bringing my sound to the Vegas scene and taking advantage of the insane set up provided by Drai’s. Vegas’ party scene is so hype so I’m keen to give them a dose of the Boi,” he expressed.

“Our goal is to provide the ultimate entertainment experience so that whether you’re an experienced clubgoer who parties on the shores of Ibiza or an accountant from middle America, you’ll never forget your experience at Drai’s and will want to come back on your next trip to Las Vegas because there will surely be something new and exciting in store.” – Dave Fogg

What else does a TroyBoi residency hold, one might ask? “That you will have to wait and see!” the producer advised. “But, a TroyBoi residency is all about good vibes, good music and creating memories that will last you a lifetime.” When reflecting on what inspires him most sonically, he divulged, “I’m always inspired by a good drum beat or rhythm. The beat is the backbone of every track and I love to dance, so it’s gotta make me move!” It appears that one thing is for sure: he will be ensuring a highly danceable atmosphere with each show, and fond memories of Drai’s in his viewers’ minds.

Head over to Drai’s website for more information and dates for what’s sure to be a revolutionary residency by TroyBoi.